OTFCC Magazine: Crossing Over

Crossing Over, Part 1

Synopsis: Skyfall and Landquake find themselves held at gunpoint by the resident Megatron of the universe they find themselves in. Skyfall reflects that he’d rather be bored in space rather than being in danger. However, before Megatron can kill the two of them, he is attacked by a team of human mechanisms called RUNTs. Skyfall drags Landquake to safety while Megatron blows up the RUNTs. Landquake, not recognizing the Transformer that Skyfall calls Megatron and being generally confused, isn’t much of a help. Skyfall charges Megatron alone to rescue the humans, but is blown back by a blast from Megatron’s cannon. As Megatron is about to deliver the killing blow to Skyfall, he is shot in the face by Optimus Prime and his Autobots.

Crossing Over, Part 2

Synopsis:
Landquake has apparently been captured by the Decepticons. While he muses about alternate universes, he tries to explain to Megatron and Starscream how he got into their dimension. Megatron is intrigued, but Starscream insist they are all Autobot lies. Megatron gives Starscream a warning. Scrapper detects differences in Landquake’s systems, and Soundwave tells Megatron that neural scans show that Landquake is telling the truth. Megatron orders Landquake unbound, and Starscream backtalks, so Megatron bitch-slaps Starscream. Scrapper tells Megatron that there is another anomaly with readings identical to Landquake’s radiation. Scrapper suggests that Shockwave might help them, causing Megatron to choke Scrapper. Megatron then gathers his forces, headed to South America to investigate the anomaly. Megatron orders Landquake to prove his worth in this battle, reminding Landquake that any Megatron’s wrath would be unpleasant. Soon the Decepticons are off, with the ground troops inside Astrotrain. Landquake ruminates, deciding to find Skyfall, since he felt a kinship, something that could tell him who he is. Landquake decides to himself that he is no longer a Decepticon, and this isn’t his war anymore. A fleet of RUNT jets arrive, and the Seekers blow them up.

Crossing Over, Part 3

Synopsis:
The Autobots fly through the night sky, Skyfall wondering what he is doing with them. The Autobots split up, and Optimus sends a distrustful Cliffjumper with Skyfall, the only small Autobots in the team, to recon the crater. Cliffjumper is openly hostile to Skyfall, calling him ‘Con’ for no reason. Jetfire joins the aerial battle on the side of the RUNTs, but Ramjet rams him out of the sky. Megatron leads Devastator, Astrotrain and an unwilling Landquake into battle against the rest of the Autobots. Megatron orders Laserbeak and Ravage to go after the Autobots’ scouts. Landquake notes that Skyfall is around. Devastator stomps Grimlock onto the ground, creating a cave-in that sends Landquake, Cliffjumper and Skyfall tumbling into a cavern. Cliffjumper is eager to shoot Landquake, and Skyfall shouts ‘NO!’

Crossing Over, Part 4

Synopsis:
Cliffjumper turns on Skyfall and is ready to blast the ‘traitor’, but another collapse happens and sends the three of them tumbling even further into an underground chamber. They find themselves in front of a shrine, with a statue of a Transformer in the center. Cliffjumper’s leg is pinned under a rock. Skyfall and Landquake approach each other, and decide to have a truce until they figure out what all this means. Also, they introduce themselves. Cliffjumper isn’t happy about it, though, and opens fire on them. The blast is deflected by Skyfall’s forcefield, and there’s a large explosion, which blinds Cliffjumper. Skyfall asks Cliffjumper to knock it off, since they’re having an ‘important moment’. Someone touches Landquake on the shoulder and tells him that it’s a place of peace. Landquake quickly moves away, but the new Transformer, apparently the statue come to life, heals Cliffjumper’s leg, to everyone’s astonishment. Laserbeak and Ravage arrive, but are quickly driven off by Landquake, Cliffjumper and Skyfall. The new Transformer introduces himself as Breakaway, and Skyfall asks for a time out to discuss the strange events…

Crossing Over, Part 5

Synopsis: The Autobots and Decepticons continue to battle, trading barbs. Soundwave informs Megatron that Ravage has located the power source but they had been betrayed by Landquake. Grimlock bashes the Constructicons around. The Decepticons try to enter the underground cavern, but Optimus tackles Megatron, and Grimlock uses his bayonet to help the Decepticons 'regroup'. Below, Landquake and Cliffjumper discover a pool of liquefied energon, enough to last centuries, and decide that they have to draw the Decepticons away. Skyfall, however, is more interested in a carving of what appears to be a combiner. He touches the carving to reveal an entrance. A voice Breakaway calls the Caretaker speaks, telling them that the need of Primus is great. Breakaway and Landquake, the former obeying without question and the latter seeking answers, go inside. Skyfall is reluctant to leave the Energon pool unprotected. The Caretaker assures that the pool will be protected by their time there is at an end. Cliffjumper worries that it's a trick, but Skyfall convinces him that the place is sacred. Skyfall finally goes into the chamber, but Cliffjumper insists that he follows... after he set something up. The Autobots and Decepticons above keep fighting. Hot Rod and Mirage are pinned by Decepticon forces, Grimlock battles the Constructicons, tossing one onto Megatron to stop him from killing Optimus Prime.

Crossing Over, Part 6

Synopsis: Jetfire pursues Starscream relentlessly, while Ramjet flies down to retrieve the energy source. Mirage and Hot Rod are pinned down by Decepticon fire, and Mirage goes invisible to do something. Under, Skyfall and company discover the Caretaker, designed by Vector Sigma to serve as knowledge base and assistant to Breakaway. The Caretaker reveals that Vector Sigma is a system throughout the multiverse, each universe having a ‘node’. The Caretaker require Breakaway’s help to maintain its functions, but Breakaway has memory problems like Skyfall and Landquake too. The Caretaker tells Breakaway that his CR chamber malfunctioned and he’ll continue to suffer memory problems until reunification is complete. The Caretaker begins to say that Primus needs his warriors, and tells them that reunification is at hand and their time as individuals have been completed. The Caretaker informs them that together with two others they will combine into a Prime, charged with the protection of rarified Energon like present in the chamber. The Caretaker explains to them what rarified energon is, how important it is, and tells them that the rarified energon in the chamber will be transferred away. The Caretaker orders Skyfall’s group to go through a space bridge, telling them refusal will condemn all. Aboveground, the Constructicons manage to bring down Grimlock, and Soundwave is about to move in when Mirage appears, holding him at gunpoint. Breakaway goes without a word, and Landquake feels it is right. Skyfall and Cliffjumper give in and go with them as well. Ramjet bursts in, only to trip a homemade bomb trap set up by Cliffjumper which blows him up. The Decepticons withdraw, while Skyfall’s company enters the space bridge…